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Prisoners in own homes say Vic fire locals

Danny Rose

Residents of a Victorian town say they felt like "prisoners in our own home" during a long-running coalmine fire.

About 70 residents have attended the first community hearing of an inquiry into the Hazelwood coalmine fire, which blanketed the town of Morwell in thick smoke for more than a month.

Resident Carol Mills, 53, complained of a lack of information from authorities both on how to access support services and on the health impacts.

"I got a chest infection and had to be sent away to Melbourne for three weeks - the other person living in the house couldn't leave because we have animals," Ms Mills told reporters outside the Morwell hearing.

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"We were like a prisoner in our own home because of all the ash. We just stayed in one room.

"I was coughing and coughing and coughing and I was told to leave.

"I felt much better for leaving because I could breathe again."

She said they didn't find out until later that the animals could have been put into care with the cost covered.

Bobby Reid remained at home, about 250m from the mine, during the worst of the blaze because he feared falling embers could trigger a fire on his property.

"We need the inquiry to come up with some official designation on how and why it happened and why the mine didn't have its fire suppressing equipment still and why the government took so long to say get out," Mr Reid said.

"The doctor now says I need to be on ventolin - two puffs four times a day.

"I'm not an asthmatic and I've never had a lung condition before."

Seven community consultation sessions will be held before the inquiry, headed by former Supreme Court justice Bernard Teague, sits for more formal hearings.

Mr Teague opened Thursday's hearing by asking residents "why are we here?" with a woman shouting back "anger".

Mr Teague said the board wanted feedback from residents about what the inquiry should focus on.

The start of the hearing was delayed due to a power outage with it now being conducted under lights provided by a generator.

The fire ignited when bushfires spread to a disused section of the mine on February 9 and burned for 45 days, shrouding nearby communities in smoke and forcing some residents to leave Morwell.